The Bells of Notre Dame
by Neko Kate-chan
Summary: Disney Crossover: And Frollo gave the child a cruel name, a name that means halfformed... Quasimodo...
1. The Bells of Notre Dame

**The Bells of Notre Dame**

**Author's Note:** First in the series of Disney Christmas Crossovers. I just had the idea while listening to the Disney song, The Bells of Notre Dame, which is the opening to this story. Please don't skip over it, even if you just treat it as a poem. I translated the Latin myself (and seeing as I don't study Latin that takes work!) and had to write out the lyrics by ear so forgive any minor mistakes... This chapter is short, seeing as it's a prologue. Just so you know the characters equivalents (if you know the story of the Hunchback of Notre Dame) here's a list:

**Quasimodo**: Tsuzuki Asato  
** Judge Claude Frollo**: Muraki Kazutaka  
**Clopin**: Watari Yukata  
**Esmeralda**: Kurosaki Hisoka  
**Archdeacon**: Kanoe-kachou  
** Captain Phoebus**: Tatsumi Seichiirou  
** The Gargoyles (Hugo, Victor and Laverne)**: Minase Hijiri, Saya, Yuma  
**Gypsies**: Wakaba, Oriya, Tsubaki-hime, Touji Hisae  
**Guard**: Terazuma Hajime

* * *

**Synopsis**: The mysterious bell ringer of Notre Dame Cathedral is said to be a deformed monster whom the church took in. Hidden away from the world by his Master, Judge Kazutaka Muraki, he believes that he is too deformed to even go out in public. It isn't until he meets the beautiful gypsy boy, Hisoka Kurosaki, that he begins to realise that maybe he was wrong. Tsuzuki dreams of freedom as he slowly in falls in love with someone out of his reach, but Muraki will put a stop to it. After all, that gypsy witch has a date with the gallows... 

A Tsuzuki/Hisoka fiction, set in the French Renaissance... (Hints of Muraki/Tsuzuki, Tatsumi/Hisoka, Terazuma/Wakaba, Hijiri/Tsuzuki, Tsubaki/Hisoka, and various other canon pairings. Unfortunately, I am unsure whether there will be any Watari/ Tatsumi simply because, well... Clopin is the King of the Gypsies and Tatsumi is the Captain of the Guard...)

* * *

**Chapter One: The Bells of Notre Dame**

**Clopin:**  
Morning in Paris, the city awakes  
To the bells of Notre Dame.  
The fisherman fishes, the baker man bakes  
To the bells of Notre Dame.  
To the big bells as loud as the thunder,  
To the little bells soft as a psalm,  
And some say the soul of the city's the toll of the bells;  
The Bells of Notre Dame.

**Clopin**: (Speech)  
Listen, they're beautiful no? So many colours of sound, so many changing moods; But as you know, they do not ring by themselves?  
Puppet: (Speech)  
They don't!  
Clopin: (Search)  
No, silly boy. Up there, high high in the dark bell tower lives the mysterious bell ringer. Who is this creature?  
Puppet: (Speech)  
Who?  
Clopin: (Speech)  
What is he?  
Puppet: (Speech)  
What?  
Clopin: (Speech)  
How did he come to be there?  
Puppet: (Speech)  
How?  
Clopin: (Speech)  
Hush, and Clopin will tell you. It is a tale, a tale of a man and a monster...

**Clopin**:  
Dark was the night when our tale was began  
On the docks near Notre Dame.

**Man 1**: (Speech)  
Shut it up will you!  
** Man 2**: (Speech)  
We'll be spotted!  
** Woman**: (Speech)  
Hush little one!

**Clopin**:  
Four frightened gypsies slid silently under  
The docks near Notre Dame.

**Man1**: (Speech)  
Four guilders for safe passage from the palace.

**Clopin**:  
But a trap had been laid for the gypsies.  
As they gazed up in fear and alarm;  
At a figure whose clutches  
Were iron as much as the bells

**Man2**: (Speech)  
Judge Claude Frollo!

**Clopin**:  
The bells of Notre Dame.

**Choir**:  
Kyrie Eleison (Lord have mercy)

**Clopin**:  
Judge Claude Frollo longed to purge the world of vice and sin.  
**Choir**:  
Kyrie Eleison (Lord have mercy)  
**Clopin**:  
And he saw corruption everywhere except within.

**Judge**: (Speech)  
Bring these gypsy vermin to the Palace of Justice.  
**Guard**: (Speech)  
You there! What are you hiding?  
**Judge**: (Speech)  
Stolen goods no doubt. Take them from her!  
**Clopin**: (Speech)  
She ran!

**Choir**:  
Dies irae, dies illa (Day of wrath, that day)  
Solvet saeclum in favilla (Shall consume the world in ashes)  
Teste David cum sibylla (As prophesied by David and the sibyl)  
Quantus tremor est futurus (What trembling is to be)  
Quando Judex est venturus (When the Judge is come)

**Woman**: (Speech)  
Sanctuary! Please give us sanctuary!  
**Choir**:  
Kyrie Eleison (Lord have mercy)  
(The woman is killed)

**Frollo**: (Speech)  
A baby? ...A monster!  
**Clopin**: (Speech)  
"STOP!" cried the Archdeacon.  
**Frollo**: (Speech)  
This is an unholy demon. I'm sending it to hell where it belongs.

**Archdeacon**:  
See there the innocent blood you have spilt  
On the steps of Notre Dame.

**Frollo**: (Speech)  
I am guiltless, she ran, I pursued.

**Archdeacon**:  
Now you will add this child's blood to your guilt  
On the steps of Notre Dame?

**Frollo**: (Speech)  
My conscience is clear!

**Archdeacon**:  
You can lie to yourself and your minions!  
You can claim that you haven't a qualm!  
But you never can run from  
Nor hide what you've done from the eyes!  
The very eyes of Notre Dame!

**Clopin**:  
And for one time in his life of power and control  
Frollo felt a twinge of fear for his immortal soul.

**Frollo**: (Speech)  
What must I do?  
**Archdeacon**: (Speech)  
Care for the child and raise it as your own.  
**Frollo**: (Speech)  
What? I'm to be saddled with this misshapen?... Very well... Let him live with you in your church.  
**Archdeacon**: (Speech)  
Live here? Where?  
**Frollo**: (Speech)  
Anywhere...  
**Frollo**:  
Just so he's kept locked away so no one else can see...  
**Frollo**: (Speech)  
The bell tower perhaps? And who knows? Our lord works in mysterious ways...  
**Frollo**:  
Even this foul creature may yet one day prove to be  
Of use to me.

**Clopin**: (Speech)  
And Frollo gave the child a cruel name. A name that means half-formed. Quasimodo.

**Clopin**:  
Now here is riddle to guess if you can,  
Sing the bells of Notre Dame.  
Who is the monster and who is the man?  
Sing the bells, bells, bells, bells, bells, bells, bells, bells,  
Bells of Notre Dame...

* * *

There was a man in Paris. All the children were talking about him. He dressed like an old fashioned jester, in bright yellow, purple and a bright mask. He was famed for his puppet shows. All the children gravitated to his cart, shirking chores to hear what tale he might tell today.

Of course, the fact that they were forbidden to talk to him made them even more determined never to miss a show.

The man's head popped up from the bottom sill of his little window. The children cheered. He was blonde haired, despite his gypsy colouring. A few children whispered that it was gypsy magic that made his hair that way… His name was Watari, although there were those who called him Clopin…

"Gather round children, gather round," He said, looking around at the gathering gaggle of children. They were all dressed in weary, drab looking clothes, most covered in patches. Compared to them, this bright, exotic looking man was an attraction.

"Have you ever heard the story of the bell ringer?" Watari asked. The children shook their heads. Watari smiled and launched straight into his story, upon the backdrop of Notre Dame and to the sounds of Morning Mass…

* * *

Three gypsies sat in the boat, worriedly casting their eyes around. There was nothing to raise their suspicions but they still felt uneasy. They had been warned about their ill-timed visit to Paris. I was said that there was a new judge in the capital, a man whose life mission was to destroy all cultures except for the pure Christian way. The man was described as a tall, stringy demon, who wore robes of black and had dark, steely eyes in which the fires of hell were said to dwell. Judge Kazutaka Muraki, responsible for the murder of over three hundred gypsies ever since he managed to get his position in the Halls of Justice.

A beautiful gypsy woman cradled her child, trying to silence it's cries. Her beautiful baby boy squalled, until one of the men angrily shoved a piece of sweet bread into the boy's mouth, silencing him. The woman smiled at him gratefully, gently rocking her son. Large, abnormal purple eyes looked up at her from the soft blankets wrapped around him. He gargled a little and she smiled, rubbing her nose with his.

Her fingers then went to the small band around his wrist. Inscribed upon it was his name, Asato Tsuzuki, named after his father. The man had come to Paris before them, they were meant to meet him at the Court of Miracles later that night. If they ever arrived... The boat man seemed to be taking far, far too long…

"We're right in the docks of Notre Dame herself…" One of the woman's traveller friends said. He looked up at the tall walls of the cathedral, then frowned.

"But this is all wrong. We should be on the outer docks. We'll have to walk straight through the main square outside the cathedral… What is this man thinking?" Her other friend asked. The woman worriedly looked down at her child, her beautiful Asato. He was still trying to break up the tough sweet bread with his gums and not succeeding. Perhaps he was teething?

They pulled up silently against the docks and the boatman held out his hand.

"Four guilders for safe passage from the Palace of Justice," The man asked. The woman reached inside her baby's swaddlings and produced the money. There was the sound of horse's hooves on cobbles and then the clink of armour. The three gypsies turned to see they were surrounded by guards.

"You tricked us!" One of the men roared, but he was restrained by the guards. The woman clutched her child to her chest.

"It's okay little one…" She whispered. The guards didn't restrain her, after all, she was a woman, but they were close by behind her. The horse came into view, a demonic looking thing, an Arabian stallion… It looked the picture of Death's horse… And it housed the Devil himself…

"Bring those gypsy vermin to the Palace of Justice," Judge Muraki ordered. He looked down at them with eyes that danced in the idea of blood. The woman held the child closer to her chest in fear. Her poor child, he must know life…

"The woman's bundle! What's in it!" One of the soldiers asked. All three of the gypsies remained silent, but the woman began to panic. Her baby… Her child… She wouldn't let them take her child!

"Gypsy witchery or stolen goods, take it from her," Muraki ordered. The woman's eyes widened and she turned on her heel and ran. The guards grabbed at her clothes but their leather gloved hands slipped on the fabric and she managed to escape.

She could hear her heart pounding in her chest, but soon she discovered it to be the sound of the horse's hooves. She turned around, the snow covered ground making her stumble, and saw the demon horse of the Judge.

Panic set in and she turned into the backstreets, hoping and praying that she might be able to find somewhere that might protect her, if even only for a short while… It was then that she stumbled upon the main square and Notre Dame.

She ran up to the solid oak doors, trying to pull the iron rings but he doors were locked. She banged against the door in desperation. Surely there would be someone up for prayer?

"Sanctuary! Please give us sanctuary!" She cried. She heard Muraki's horse nearby. She turned to run across the market square but the horse caught up with her. He trampled her beneath the hooves of his horse, upon the very steps of Notre Dame, the Cathedral of Our Lady.

"Now we shall see what stolen goods were housed in this deceptive packaging," The Judge said, rolling her body off the small bundle and remounting his horse with it. He opened the blanket and his eyes widened as the angry yells of a child echoed around the square.

"A-a monster!" He gasped, staring into the unnatural eyes of the child. His face was so ugly, his eyes were that of a demon's. No human would have purple eyes… He moved his horse to the well in the middle of the yard, holding the child over the well and preparing to drop it into the abyss.

* * *

The children's faces were wide in shock. They weren't used to stories like these… There was death! Actual death! And the gypsies weren't being portrayed as the evil stealers of children or the suspects of witchery! And it even had the current head of the Palace of Justice!

"What happened then?" One of the children asked. Watari smiled and pulled out a puppet. It was a priest…

* * *

"STOP!" cried the Archdeacon. Muraki paused from where he was holding the child above the well. He turned to the priest, who was holding the trampled woman's body, closing her eyes and wiping the blood off her face.

"Look what you have done! You have killed a woman right here on the very steps of the cathedral!" The Archdeacon said, removing the gypsy amulets from around the woman's neck and wrists.

"I have no guilt. She was a gypsy under suspicion and she ran. Am I not meant to pursue?" Muraki asked. The Archdeacon looked about to explode. He began to wave his arms about as he spoke.

"Now you will murder her child as well!" He yelled. Muraki held the child out for the Archdeacon to see.

"This child is a demon. His eyes show this. I was merely sending him back to the depths of hell with his with mother," Muraki replied. The Archdeacon stood then, the blood of the innocent gypsy on his robes.

"You can lie to yourself and you're minions, you can claim that you haven't a qualm! But you never can run from, nor hide what you've done from the eyes! The eyes of Notre Dame!" He turned and gestured to the statues of the saints, of the Lord Jesus and Our Lady, whose stone, impassive eyes had witnessed the act of supreme violence, who had heard every bone crack and anguished cry.

"What must I do?" Muraki asked. The eyes of the statues bore into his very soul. He felt the fear of God, and he knew he must avoid the man's wrath…

"Care for the woman's child, raise him as you'd raise your own son," The Archdeacon said. Muraki looked at the demon's eyes and shuddered, thinking of a way to carry out his penance without having to claim the boy as his own son…

"Let him live with you, in the church. He could live in the bell tower and when he was old enough he could ring the bells for you," Muraki reasoned. The Archdeacon swelled up in anger as he lifted the woman's corpse from the steps. Muraki smiled as the Archdeacon nodded however, and left the babe in the snow, galloping away.

* * *

"And Muraki gave him a cruel name, a name that means half-formed… Quasimodo…" Watari finished. The children looked at each other and then at the towers of Notre Dame.

"Let me ask you one little question about this story, then you must go and do your chores… Who do you think is the biggest monster? The gypsy demon, who had barely had drawn breath before he was condemned, or the Judge who murdered his mother just by her heritage," Watari asked. The children dispersed, murmuring about the story, the bells in the background stopped. Through the children a small man walked, his emerald eyes dancing. He smiled briefly at Watari and leaned against the cart.

"The old fable of the bell ringer again?" He asked. There were two marks on the backs of his hands that marked him as a bearer, one of those males who were destined to bear children by other men. The mark stood out clearly against the pale colour of his skin, so abnormal for a gypsy.

"You don't believe my stories, Hisoka?" Watari asked, smiling. The gypsy boy rolled his eyes.

"Your tales are of bastard sons of King's taking the throne and hideous beasts becoming the lovers of Princesses. Only children believe in such stories," He said. Watari pouted, the bells on his hat tinkling as he removed it, tying his hair up with a red ribbon before replacing the hat at an odd angle.

"Yet you are an idealist, are you not? Surely, in your perfect world, a hideous looking monster, such as the bell ringer, would have a chance with the most beautiful of gypsy dancers?" Watari asked, his green-brown eyes looking deadly serious.

"Don't you mean Princess?" Hisoka asked. Watari smiled and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Of course, of course. What did I say?" He asked. Hisoka frowned, pushing off from the cart and walking away. He paused, looking up at beautiful gothic masterpiece that was Notre Dame.

"In my perfect world, a bell ringer would dance with the most beautiful of princesses… But this world is far from ideal," Hisoka stepped over a muddy puddle to go find his flute player. In the recesses of the nearby street, children were starving in tattered clothes and the disabled were begging for small change. The world was far from perfect…

* * *

**End Notes**: I describe Watari's eyes as green-brown rather than amber for a reason. Seriously, who except cats have amber eyes? No one. Therefore it wouldn't fit with the story. However, I do know someone who has very light green eyes with brown flecks and they look sorta ambery… So I've adjusted his eye colour… Sue me…

**Coming Soon: Chapter Two – Out There… A young Tsuzuki dreams of going to the Festival of Fools…**


	2. Out There

-1**The Bells of Notre Dame**

**Author's Note**: _Thank you to all the marvellous reviewers! All 12 of you! I have tried to reply to everyone who was signed in. If you leave an anonymous review, and you want me to answer a question, please make sure you leave your email address in a format that won't block out. And Kudatsuo-chan, sorry. I worship your amber eyes, I wish I had them._

_After Christmas I will be re-writing this, entitled "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" but following the Book's plot, rather than the Disney movie._

**Cast:**

_**Quasimodo**: Tsuzuki Asato_

_**Judge Claude Frollo**: Muraki Kazutaka_

_**Clopin**: Watari Yukata_

_**Esmeralda**: Kurosaki Hisoka_

_**Archdeacon**: Kanoe-kachou_

_**Captain of the Guard:** Tatsumi Seichiirou_

_**The Gargoyles (Hugo, Victor and Laverne**): Minase Hijiri, Saya, Yuma_

_**Gypsies**: Wakaba, Oriya, Tsubaki-hime, Touji Hisae_

_**Guard**: Terazuma Hajime_

xXx

**Chapter Two: Out There**

**Frollo:**

The world is cruel

The world is wicked

It's I alone that you can trust most in this whole city

I am your only friend

**Frollo:**

I who keep you, teach you, feed you, dress you

I who look upon you without fear

How can I protect you boy

Unless you always stay in here

Away in here.

**Frollo: (Speech)**

Remember what I taught you Quasimodo.

**Frollo: (Brackets are Quasimodo)**

You are deformed

(I am deformed)

And you are ugly

(And I am ugly)

And these are crimes for which the world shows little pity

You do not comprehend

(You are my one defender)

**Frollo: (Brackets are Quasimodo)**

Out there they'll revile you as a monster

(I am a monster)

Out there they will hate and scorn and jeer

(Only a monster)

Why invite their calumny and consternation

Stay in here.

Be faithful to me

(I'm faithful)

Be grateful to me

(I'm grateful)

Do as I say, obey

And stay in here

(I'll stay in here)

(Frollo leaves)

**Quasimodo:**

Safe behind these windows and these parapets of stone

Gazing at the people down below me

All my life I've watched them as I hide up here alone

Hungry for the histories they show me

**Quasimodo:**

All my life I've memorised their faces

Knowing them as they will never know me

All my life I've wondered how it feels to pass a day

Not above them...

But part of them...

**Quasimodo:**

And out there

Living in the sun

Give me one day

Out there

All I ask is one

To hold forever

Out there

Where they all live unaware

What I'd give

What I'd dare

Just to live one day out there...

**Quasimodo:**

Out there among the weavers and the millers and their wives

Through the roofs and gables I can see them

Every day they shout and scold and go about their lives

Heedless of the gift it is to be them

**Quasimodo:**

If I was in their skin

I'd treasure every instant!

**Quasimodo:**

Out there

Strolling by the Seine

Taste the morning

Out there

Like ordinary men

Who freely walk

About there

Just one day

And then I swear

I'll be content

With my share

**Quasimodo:**

Won't resent

Won't despair

Old and bent

I won't care

I'll have spent one day out there.

X

Tsuzuki looked out onto the beautiful city of Paris. The way the sun shone on the wings of the pigeons, the way the people's clothes stood out so brightly against the mud and stone of the roads, the interesting thatch work of the roofs and, just there, sparkling in the distance, the Seine.

"The Feast of Fools…" Tsuzuki sighed dreamily, running his hands through his hair. It had always been a dream of his to go down there, to smile and sing amongst the crowds…

He heard the sound of stone grinding against stone and turned, smiling as he saw his friends sidling into view. They were three gargoyles who, for some reason unknown to him, had come to life. They were the only humanoid gargoyles on Notre Dame and, to be honest, they were all quite disturbingly life like.

"We've got the best seats this year… We've got the best seats every year!" Saya said, her twin sister, Yuma, clinging to her as they shuffled forward on the stone paving of the balcony. Tsuzuki smiled and gestured to the last figure, the slightly more reserved Hijiri. He shuffled forward, giving Tsuzuki a small smile before turning to regard the crowd.

"Quite a show this year," He said, conversationally. It was amazing how expressive those stone eyes could be and Tsuzuki definitely picked up on the worry in those granite orbs.

"Yeah… I wish I could be down there, you know… Just this once…" Tsuzuki said, idly watching the people walk to and fro. His eyes briefly lingered on a gypsy with a tambourine and a goat, dancing in the street for spare change, before turning to another sight, the main stage.

"Well, you know what you have to do, don't you?" Yuma said, her eyes bright. Tsuzuki turned to them, violet eyes bright in excitement.

"What, what?" He asked impatiently. The two smiled sweetly.

"Wear a disguise!" Saya said. Tsuzuki cocked his head to one side. It would work he supposed. If he had something to hide his face…

"We can get you a costume!" The girl's chorused. Tsuzuki immediately put his hands up in what seemed like a move of surrender but it was more like an effort to push them away. Hijiri smiled.

"Tsuzuki, you'll get into far too much trouble if you disobey Muraki. We're all fine just watching this. Trust me, it's not so great down there," Hijiri then paused, turning slightly.

"He's coming," He said softly, before moving rapidly down the balcony and swinging around to his proper place in the alcoves. The twins looked at each other and flung themselves over the balcony.

Tsuzuki dashed forward, brushing away the curtain that separated the outside world from his bedchamber and coming face to face with his adopted father, Muraki. He looked as calm as ever, his shining silver hair combed back in that impeccable way under a hat of black and red. His robes matched it perfectly, with hints of royal purple in the lining.

"M-master!" He squeaked. Muraki placed a basket down on the table. Tsuzuki glanced at it. Muraki had, as usual, placed it directly on one of his miniature figurines, effectively crushing it underneath the weight of the basket filled with food.

His own miniature Paris, complete with Notre Dame and every figure he could possibly think of…

"Are you going to serve the food, Tsuzuki?" Muraki asked. Tsuzuki immediately jumped up to do it. He grabbed the basket, pulling out the grapes and placing them on a plate, removing the cheese and bread and placing them on a larger plate with a knife. He returned them quickly to the table before turning to get two goblets to pour the wine into.

"What is the square root of 25?" Muraki asked. Tsuzuki paused in his pouring of the wine.

"5," He replied. Muraki nodded, smiling.

"If I were to want a glass of wine and some cheese in Rome, what would I ask?" Muraki asked. Tsuzuki helped himself to some cheese and bread before answering his master's question.

"Posso avere un vetro di vino e di un certo formaggio prego?" Tsuzuki replied. Muraki nodded, leaning over and pressing a lazy kiss to his adopted son's lips. The violet eyed man squirmed a little. Sometimes his master… expected things of him… Was today one of those days?

"Você é meu a fazer com como mim por favor. Você é um monster, Tsuzuki. Você compreende?" Muraki asked. Tsuzuki winced and nodded, trying his best not to look scared. His master was so kind to him.

"M-master?" Tsuzuki turned his large innocent eyes up to Muraki and the man smiled at him.

"M-may I g-go to the Feast of Fools?" And like that, the smile disappeared and a demon's rage appeared in it's wake.

X

"Well, Paris hasn't changed that much," Tatsumi mused to his horse, Achilles. The beautiful stallion snorted and nuzzled him. He gathered his cloak around his arm, trying to stop it from dragging in the muddy puddles.

The sound of pipes and a tambourine drifted to his ears. He looked to his right to see some street entertainers. One was a beautiful bearer, he was dancing, tapping the tambourine lightly against his thigh in time with the beat. He was dressed as modestly as was possible, a white blouse that was unlaced at the neck, slipping off one of his shoulders. He then wore a green girdle, wrapped tightly around his waist, with yellow ribbing. It highlighted both his femininity and his masculinity, a contradiction in terms.

A deep purple sash around his waist was decorated with gold sovereigns. It was tied in a secure double knot, the coins tinkling together as the boy danced, his body flowing and loose. He wore a lighter purple pair of strange long breeches that gathered at his ankles. He was bare-foot, a golden bracelet around his ankle. Other golden ornaments adorned his wrists, as well as the headscarf wrapped around his beautiful wheat hair.

Tatsumi smiled, dropping a few coins into the hat. The boy paused in his dancing, smiling at little and lowering his eyelids. Tatsumi blinked and allowed a small smile. The boy began to dance again, at his feet a little goat bleated up at him, before returning to his master's feet to prance and totter around.

Tatsumi turned to leave when he saw two guards making a beeline for the dancer and his piper. The dancer stopped and bent down, grabbing his hat filled with small pieces of bronze now, and trying to run. The guards stopped him, wrenching his hard-earned money from his grasp.

"Give that back!" He yelled, but his arms were being restrained by one of the guards. The other was leering at him in a way that was not at all appropriate.

"How did you come by that?" The leering guard asked. The boy growled, trying desperately to get away. His sleeves were pulled up as the guard restraining him attempted to get a better grip on his arms, revealing the bearer markings up his forearms.

Tatsumi looked down at his own hands, clean of any markings. At the age of thirteen all boys were taken to special physicians who would tell the parents whether or not their child would be a bearer or just a normal male. Bearers were thought of being just like girls. It was often discouraging for a family who had raised a boy up until the age of fourteen to be presented with the fact that their son had a fair bit of female anatomy deep inside him. They were said to have the hearts of women, although Tatsumi had yet to meet a Bearer who didn't completely resent that comment.

"I earned it!" The boy hissed, his teeth bared.

"Gypsies don't earn! They steal!" A guard retorted. The boy lost his temper then, using the other guard's restraints he kicked upwards, catching the leering guard under the chin. The man fell to the ground with a startled cry, and the guard restraining the bearer accidentally let go of him. There was a poof of red smoke, a loud bleat and the guard scrambled backwards, falling over his fallen comrade. Tatsumi didn't waste any time, he brought his horse forward, blocking the guard's view of the street, hoping the bearer would escape.

"Move you imbecile!" One of the guards yelled. Tatsumi just smiled and turned to his horse.

"Hear that Achilles. You're in the way of the poor gentleman," Tatsumi said, backing the horse into them, making it look like an accident. They tried to scramble out of the way, but just ended up falling into a muddy puddle.

"Why you…!" One of them yelled, but Tatsumi silenced them by drawing his sword.

"I'm Captain Seichiirou Tatsumi. I believe you two have just volunteered to take me to the Palace of Justice," The man smiled as the two guards stood up and started to apologise profusely, beginning to pompously clear the way for their Captain.

At the side of the street, a beggar was sat, wrapped in a purple shawl. Tatsumi dropped a few coins in his hat before moving on. A few moments later, a pair of surprised emerald eyes peered from under the hood, a bewildered goat sharing the look of complete shock.

X

"Tsuzuki, I am calm now," Muraki said. He was stood on the walkway between the two towers, staring out at the rich sunset. Tsuzuki shivered, it looked like the buildings were on fire. He limped to where Muraki stood. He had received such a beating, his back and legs had great welts across them from where Muraki had grabbed one of his woodworking tools and began to brutally attack him with it.

"M-master. I'm so sorry. I will never speak of it again!" Tsuzuki promised, tears in his eyes. Muraki gently put his hands on Tsuzuki's face, stroking away those tears in such a tender gesture that Tsuzuki wondered if it was really the same man who was responsible for his injuries.

"I am only thinking of you, my dear child. The people down there are not as forgiving as I am about your deformity, your demon's eyes. They will not understand. You are ugly, Tsuzuki, and they will not see the beauty that lies within you. You see, my boy, I'm just trying to protect you," Muraki said, gently kissing Tsuzuki's forehead. Tears fell from those cursed amethysts, as he wept for the life he had never known.

"I have kept you for all this time, I only ask for one small thing in return. That you stay in here. It is only a small thing to ask in repayment, is it not?" Muraki asked. Tsuzuki shook his head. He gripped at Muraki's robes, burying his face in them.

"Thank you Master! Thank you for protecting me!" He whispered. Muraki smirked down at him and then turned with a flapping of robes.

"One day you will thank me, Tsuzuki," He said, as he walked down the stairs. Tsuzuki waited until he was certain that the man had gone before climbing up onto the roof of the cathedral, sitting on the gothic masonry with ease and grace.

"I just want to be free…" He whispered. A bird flew by in the distance, shedding a feather that fluttered down into the crowd below. Tsuzuki watched as it landed on the face of a young boy, who picked it up with two fingers and twirled it slowly before offering it to a small pet at his feet. Tsuzuki laughed as the goat ate it.

"I need that life. Just a day… A day can't hurt… can it?" He whispered. The sun set on Notre Dame, and Tsuzuki made plans.

**End Notes:**

I'm looking for a beta reader. Please please please volunteer someone. I need someone to be critical of grammar, spelling, characterisation and sentencing and also, I need someone to kick me up the butt when the plot is going badly. There are plus sides to the job, you get to read advance copies of my chapters. And that's about it. The bad sides are my grammar and the complete crap that is the raw chapter before it gets beta'd. Also, the workload. I plan to write another 34 chapters by Christmas. I'll virtually need everything by the next day.

Please… someone?

To see any drabbles/one-shots or ideas that don't get put on please go to my live journal. I accept anonymous comments. Go ahread and spam. The link is on my Profile page.


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